Accelerated BSN Versus Accelerated MSN - California

Nursing Students Pre-Nursing

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  1. What would be your first choice

    • 0
      Traditional BSN
    • 1
      Accelerated BSN
    • 1
      Accelerated Masters Entry-level
    • 2
      Direct Entry MSN Program

4 members have participated

I know this topic has been discussed and debated on this forum quite a bit, but much of the info on it is from a few years back. . .

I could really use some guidance on all this accelerated stuff. Should I go the traditional route and take it slow? Accelerated BSN? Accelerated MSN? Is there even an advantage in going the masters route?

Would love to hear from you!

Thanks!

(As an aside: I have a bachelor's degree and as long as I do well this semester, will have a 4.0 GPA in my science preqs and a 3.4 overall).

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Specializes in OB, Case Management, Nurse Navigator.

Honestly, this is a very vague question. We do not know anything about your learning ability or work experience to base our opinion for you specifically.

That said, I did an accelerated BSN. It was probably one of the hardest degrees I have ever earned and I had a Bachelor's Degree in Biological Sciences before getting my BSN. If you are not a fast learner, this is not the right track for you.

I would highly suggest getting experience with a BSN and then getting your MSN. The reason I say this is because getting a MSN makes getting a bedside job much harder, and any entry-level MSN required job is not going to like the lack of experience. It may be more difficult to get a job, but, of course, I have no idea about your job prospects or the area you practice. In my area, we are over-saturated with NPs and it is very difficult to get a job as a NP without experience.

Something else to consider is, if you take some time to get experience, will you go back to school? It does become harder to find motivation to go back and earn an advanced degree as time passes.

In short, my opinion is get your BSN and find where your passion is in nursing. After getting experience, get that advanced degree.

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Hi fmf13, thank you so much for the response! It is invaluable to hear your experience and the opinions of those who have done it. I guess I was a little vague in my question; let me try to explain:

My strengths in my academic and business career up to this point have been much more right brained than left. I got my degree in history with a minor in english and worked for a number of years in internet marketing / online retail. To be honest, almost all of the success I've had in the prerequisite science courses I've taken thus far has more to do with determination than with natural capabilities or experience.

Bio 101 was the first "real" science class I ever took and also one of the most difficult because of this. As each semester goes by, I gain skills and confidence in the sciences, but it is all fairly new to me and I tend to overstudy and over-worry. Which would all pretty clearly indicate that I should take it slow, enjoy the process and not go the accelerated route, but what has me unsure is the fact that these ABSN/ MEPN/MECN programs are allegedly designed specifically for students in my shoes. So I wonder if I am just being scared and stupid in not thinking an accelerated program would be best for me. I definitely know that I want to give myself the best chance of getting good grades and ensuring the possibility of pursing a masters (or second masters, if I were able to complete a MEPN) somewhere down the line. But like you said, there's always the risk of not finding the time or motivation to go back for an advanced degree.

Anyway, thank you again for your input and insight. I am continually amazed and grateful for the patience and kindness shown to me and others on this site.

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I completed a 16 month ABSN in 2014. It was the hardest academic program of my life, and I usually have straight As. I don't see any advantage to the master's entry programs - they are more expensive, harder, and you end up eligible to sit for the NCLEX, just like in a BSN program. If your goals is to be an NP, you still have to get a post-master's certificate or a DNP. There are some master's entry programs which are 3 years - the first year is the equivalent of a BSN and you sit for the NCLEX at the end of your first year, then the following 2 years are NP education. But earning the equivalent of a BSN in 1 year? That is brutal!

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Specializes in MSICU.

The draw to entry-level master's programs like MEPN for me are the fact that I will be eligible for financial aid/loans. That is not the case for a second bachelor's degree for me.

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Honestly, this is a very vague question. We do not know anything about your learning ability or work experience to base our opinion for you specifically.

That said, I did an accelerated BSN. It was probably one of the hardest degrees I have ever earned and I had a Bachelor's Degree in Biological Sciences before getting my BSN. If you are not a fast learner, this is not the right track for you.

I would highly suggest getting experience with a BSN and then getting your MSN. The reason I say this is because getting a MSN makes getting a bedside job much harder, and any entry-level MSN required job is not going to like the lack of experience. It may be more difficult to get a job, but, of course, I have no idea about your job prospects or the area you practice. In my area, we are over-saturated with NPs and it is very difficult to get a job as a NP without experience.

Something else to consider is, if you take some time to get experience, will you go back to school? It does become harder to find motivation to go back and earn an advanced degree as time passes.

In short, my opinion is get your BSN and find where your passion is in nursing. After getting experience, get that advanced degree.

Why would it be harder to get a bedside position with an MSN?

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How long was the accelerated program you did?

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Specializes in OB, Case Management, Nurse Navigator.
Why would it be harder to get a bedside position with an MSN?

You have to pay for them to have a MSN with no work experience. On top of that, even if they don't pay you for that degree, what was the value of getting that MSN only to be paid the same as a BSN. Would you want to hire a NP with 5 years of work experience or a NP who has no patient experience at all?

Also, my accelerated program was 16 months long.

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To the OP: Why not apply to both types of programs? See which ones you get into and the financial aid packages you get. They are both good ways to go if you are prepared for the academic rigor. If you don't qualify for undergrad financial aid, then go for the direct entry master's.

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